Ultimate Guide to Lake Gregory Water Park for Families

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For some outdoor family fun your kids won’t soon forget, Lake Gregory’s water park is a hidden gem in Southern California. And the best part? There are several ways to experience it. Whether you’re looking for an action-packed day on the lake or want to turn your visit into a full weekend getaway, there’s an option that works for just about every family.

Here’s everything you need to know about planning a fun family outing to the Lake Gregory water park in Crestline, California.

Camp Near Lake Gregory Water Park Or Stay in a Rental

When we went to the Lake Gregory water park, we wanted to make a summer camping trip out of it. There’s a popular campground about 10-15 mins away, called Dogwood Campground, so we booked a campsite and invited my parents to do the same.

Unfortunately, due to wildfires, my firefighter husband ended up not being able to join us on our trip kind of last minute. The thought of taking my kids camping all by myself sounded like more work and less enjoyment for me. So, I hopped on VRBO and found a cute rental for a few nights.

I chose one that was super close to Dogwood Campground so that we could still visit my parents and enjoy nightly campfires. It also provided easy access to some of the other fun things to do in Lake Arrowhead.

If Dogwood campground is all booked up, be sure to use my favorite app to scan for cancellations. It can even add sites to your cart automatically when they become available!

Other Options of Where To Stay

Big Bear is another nearby city to stay in. While it isn’t as close as Lake Arrowhead, there are a lot of hotel and Airbnb options in Big Bear. Or you can stay at one of the fun campgrounds in Big Bear.

We made plans to go to Lake Gregory on our first full day up there. We bought our tickets in advance, and got there just before they opened. A line was already formed with people doing the same. But getting there early ensured we’d have easy parking and less crowds. We were there on a Saturday, so we didn’t encounter any summer camps, but I did hear from someone who told me that weekdays are just as busy as weekends because large groups of summer campers are bussed in for the day.

When we arrived at Lake Gregory, we were surprised to see another family we knew well. The kids instantly ran off with their kids and had so much fun together.

Lake Gregory Recreation Area

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Lake Gregory Water Park is open with a giant obstacle course on the water. The lake water park has slides, water trampolines, and my son’s personal favorite, The Blob. There are lifeguards on duty, and everyone is required to wear a life jacket. In addition to the main attractions, there are two large waterslides, a swimming beach, and a splash pad designed for younger children. It’s truly a great family-friendly destination. The splash pad (or pad) is perfect for little ones to cool off and play safely. Note: you must be 48″ to go on the inflatables.

The lifeguards at the Lake Gregory water park only allow a certain amount of people on the obstacles at a time. As it got later in the day, and busier at the lake, they would rotate kids out by blowing whistles and getting everyone to shore. Then they’d allow a new group to go. Every once in awhile, the kids could get out, get in line and make it on with the next group. But most often, they had to wait in line for the 20 mins until the next group would get to go. This was a good opportunity to come in, eat, and regroup.

What To Expect

You can bring your own cooler and food to the lake, which is nice. There is also a snack bar onsite. No alcohol is allowed at the lake. If you just want to sit on the beach and observe, you can buy a day pass rather than an adventure pass. But, you still need to pay. It was $10 a person for the day pass when we went, and $20 for the all-access adventure pass to access the obstacle course and waterslides.

Update (June 2025): Prices on the website now show $16 for the entry day pass and $30 for the all-access pass.

I originally planned to spend just one of our days at Lake Gregory. I wanted time to do some other fun activities in Big Bear on the second day. But the kids had so much fun at the Lake Gregory water park, we went back the next day.

Sunday was significantly less crowded than Saturday. That meant we didn’t have to wait in lines that day, or at least not nearly as much. I even decided to partake in the fun on that day. I do think we had more fun having that other family with us. If it had only been my kids, we probably would have done just one day. So overall, I think one day is plenty.

The kids have been asking to go back this summer, so we will likely try to make a go of it again. This time we’ll hopefully get an actual camping trip out of it as well.

Check out these other awesome inflatable water parks for even more summer fun!

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